Vending machine



Nov. 17, 1931. R. swANK VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Deo. '7. 1929 Attorney Nov. 17, 1931. R.. swANK 1,832,264

VENDING MACHINE Filed peo. '7. 1929 s sheets-Sheer `2 Inventor Attorney Nov. 17, 1931. L.. R. SWANK VENDING MACHINE Filed Deo. '7, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Attorney Patented Nov. 17, 19,31

UNITED STATE-s PATENT LEWIS nswnivx, or Lnwsron, IDAHO VENDING MACHIE A Applicationrmeva December 7, 1929. serial No. 4123.455.y

predetermined quantity, the vending or dispensing tank, and float controlled means in the liquid tank are used for actuating an ejector for the coin to break theV motor circuit at the proper time or when the predetermined quantity has been pumped to thetank.

Provision is made for selected use of various coins of different denominations, such as a quarter dollar, a hali:` dollar, and a dollar, and means are provided for closing the coin slots, and forV moving or carrying the coin chutes to register therewith, according to the denomination of the coin used.

l/Vith t-he different denominations of coins used the pump isI voperated to supply a different quantity of the liquid to be Vdispensed or vended, and in a modilied form of the invention duplex vending machines are operated to deliver different grades of liquid, 'as' for instance lubricating oils for an automotive vehicle. Y

A manually controlled locking 'f device is utilized for locking or latching the vending machine which device is under control of the manually operated discharge-valve'o'f the 1 vending tank, and other features are provided for facilitating the purchase of a predetermined quantity of gasoline orof oiland for accurately measuring the quantity to be vended. l

My invention consists incertain novel combinations and arrangements of parts for accomplishing the results above noted as lwill A hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings I i', have illustrated onefcompleteexample of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.- Changes and alterations,

'as `for instance, in the 4modified form of my mventionfmay be made within the` scope of my claims without departing from the prin- Ciples of my invention. .y l /Figure lf isa view of thefoperating mechanism in elevation (with the casing in section as at line l-l of Figure 2) showing the gasoline tank partly filled with fifty cents worth of gasoline, and the discharge valve ready to'be'ope'ned for discharging the purchased gasoline.v l

.FigureV 2 is a view in elevation at the discharge side of the machine wlth the hose hung and-Figure 3 islay front view of the machine n showing the coin slots, and an indicator scale and indicator for the amount or quantity purchased, as at line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure tis a detail view of the casing with its back wall omitted, as at `line 4 4: of Fig- Y ure 5, disclosing a.- ymodifiedorm ofthe invention utilizing avdupleX vending machine for twoVV grades of cih-and Figure 5 is a view in sideelevation of one of the duplex machines, the 'casing v being cut through at line 5&5 of Figure 4. vFigure 6 is a View showing the parts at the front of themachine, as at line p 6 6 of Figure 5. Y

Figure 7 is an enlarged-view in side elevation showing the carrier and its movable coin chutes, togetherwith the coin controlled cirlc uit maker, and the ejector for* breaking the circuit, of theelectric motor that operatesthe gas'olme pump. Y

` Figure 8'1s-a y'ragmimtal, detail "perspec- )ent sizes of coins, andv showing also part of the coin ejector whereby` the circuit'is broken. n

FigurelO` isy ajdetail viewoil one kofthe shifta'ble clutches and gearing of the'k duplex vending machine for oil.

Figure l1 is anV enlarged detail sectional vievv'of one ofthe loil tanks with its float therein, asy at line lll-1,1 of-Figure 4;.

I preferably equip the vending machine with' a closure or casing 1 of suitablesize and shape for the. purpose, and providedwithfa ico - of the machine.

window as 2 in order that the interior parts may be viewed by the purchaser if desired. The usual hose 3 and nozzle 4 are provided, the hose being attached to a valve casing 5 having the valve stem or handle 5 that is manually operated and accessible for use from the exterior of the casing. The valve casing is directly connected with the cylindrical gasoline tank 6 which is supported on its base or hollow pedestal 7 within the casm Y f gThe casing is of course closed against intrusion, and it houses an electric motor 8 have ing driving gearing 9 and transmissionl mechanism 10 to operate the gasoline pump The discharge pipe 13 from the pump leads .directly to the bottom of the gasoline tank,

and the hose is used as thedischarge pipe ,from the tank, under control of the discharge valve 5.

Within the gasoline tank is located a hollow, buoyant float 14, preferably in the form of a flat cylinder, that is lifted by pressure of gasoline from beneath, Vwhen the pump is operating, and which falls by gravity to the 4bottom of the tank as the purchased quantity of gasoline is dispensed from the tank.

In Figure 3 provision is made for deposit of three different denominations of coins, slot 15 for-a quarter-dollar, 16, for a half-dollar, and 17, for a dollar in order that different quantities of gasoline may be purchased and vended from the machine.` These depositslots or coin slots are closed at the inner side kof the casing by a. vertically reciprocable plate 18 forming a chute-carrier with an edge rack, and thevcarrier is slidable in guide grooves 19 in which the guide pins 20 of the carrier move. The pins project laterally from v the carrier, and the grooved guides 19 are re- `tained in proper position to guide the carrier so that it may be elevated to cause coin chutes 21, 22, and 23,to register, respectively with coin slots 15, 16 and 17. These coin chutes are attached at the inner side of the chute carrier, and they decline from the carrier in order that the coin may roll down through its chute to and through the lower open end ofthe chute.

As a fraud preventing device, each chute is provided at its discharge end with a Vpermanent or horseshoe magnet 24 that stops or retards themovement of the spurious coins and prevents them from reaching operative parts Eachchute is also constructed with one side ,partially open as 7 8 and is placed aglittle to one sideY of avertical line so that, should the coin be undersized, it will drop out of the :chute through this opening, and fall into' the spurious coin hopper 48K.

The coin carrier is latched in inoperative position by closing valve 5, as indicated by its position in Figure l. A crank arm 25 is connected to and moves with the Valve handle 5', and a release cable 26 which is connected to the crank arm, is also connected to a latch 27 that engages a rack wheel 28 on the shaft 29, the rack wheel being engaged with the toothed edge of the chute-carrier. The shaft 29 is journaled in suitable bearings at the inner side of the casing and one end of the shaft projects through the casing to receive an indicator needle 30 that points to the value of the coin on a scale at the outer side of the casing. In vFigure 3 the pointer indicates that 50c worth of gasoline has been pumped into vthe tank of Figure 1 and will be discharged through the hose whenthe valve 5 is opened. ,The chute-carrier is raised or lowered by they movement of the hand 30, by the purchaser, after he has opened valve 5, which unlocks the chute-carrier. Y Valve 5 is then closed and the coin inserted. vThis operates the pump motor and pump,cwhence the float V14 rises, the height of which is governed by the position of the chutefcarrier, since pulley 34 acts as a slack take-up, and once its position is established, it does not move again during the complete operation. Float 14 rises and, being attached to avcable 31 at the underside of the float, which extends down to the bottom of the tank andaround guide pulleys 32 that are located in various positions to guide the cable. After passing out through the top of the tank, the cable is formed in a hanging loop, 33 which passes under the pulley 34, that is journaled in bearings at the upper end of the chute-carrier, and it vwill vbe apparent that as the cable passes under and over the stationary guide pulleys 32, the height of the float is'governed by the adjusted position `of the pulley 34 attached to the chute-carrier. y.

Afterpassing overthe last guide pulley in Figure 1 the cable 31 extends down below the chute carrier Vto'a coin` ejector in the form `of a bell crank lever 35 (Figure 7) that is pivoted at 36 on a suitable supporter bracket 37, and is (operated to break the motorcircuit, and renderinoperative themotor that operates the gasoline pump.

Y In Figure 7 is will be seen that when the coin rollsv down through its chute and out through its open end the coin will fall or Ystrike on an anvil 38 which, is formed of marble or other suitable material, fashioned -fwith adeclining upper surface, and placed inthe path of` movement of the coinso' that the latter Will' strike the anvil andf bounce therefrom to fall'intoa coin hopper 39 in front of the anvil.Y The coin-hopper has a guidechute 40, and asthe coin-.freely falls into .the funnel shaped hopper it is finally guided through the chute 40 in position to enter the circuit makerfor the motor.

In Figure 9 where several different coins are designated C and shown by dotted lines,

it will be understood thatthe coins fall singly from the hopper 40 to the circuit maker. The circuit maker includes a pair of blocks 41, o-r a divided block, between which are sunported two fixed conduct-or plates 42 and 43 with terminal posts 44 for the wires of the motor circuit. At the discharge side of these fixed plates are arranged twodoors 45, susf pended by spring hinges 46 from overhead y which displaces the coin on theplates 42 and Y projections from the fixed plates 42 and 43; said doo-rs forming guideV plates to hold the coins kin vupright position with theirV edges rest-ing on the plates 42 and 43, thus making electrical contact between them. LFor convenience of illustration the free end or head of the ejector 35 `is shown in Figure 7 fas spaced a slight distance-from the circuit maker, but it will be understood that theV head may project toward or into the circuit maker a sufficient dista-nce as to prevent accidental displacement of the coin after it falls into the circuit maker. As the coinejeeto-r 35 pushes on the coin from the opposite side, the hinged doors are pushed open, whence the coin drops to the coin receiving box 47 below. rlhe coins remain in contact with the plates 42'and 43 until the iioat 14 reaches its predetermined height, whence the tension on cable 31 pulls up on the lever of ejector 35,

43, whence, the co-ntact being broken, the

motor and pump stop.

The ejected coin falls into a receptacle 47 that is supported instationary position on brackets or legs 47', and as seen in Figure f 7 the block 41 of the circuit maker is also supported. on this receptacle beneath the guide chute 4O1for the com. f

If a. spurious coin, of magnetic metal, is deposited in a chute, the magnet 24 stops the coin in its movement toward the anvil,

toopen the valve, and the hose maybe used in suitable manner to empty thegasoline into a tank in the customaryway.

After the tank has been emptied the valve should be left open. In `this position the rack wheel 28 is unlatched, and the indicator hand is free to be set at the desired position.

W'hen this setting is made the valve must.

be closed before inserting a coin. In closing the valve it allows the coin ejector-to fall back @position and ati-iis Y same time locks the rack wheely 28. .f `;y Opening the discharge valve unlatch'es the rack wheelandat the sametiinepulls .up` the e coin ejector, thereby preventing gas from being drawn during ythe ,operationl ofthe pump. While the .gasolineris flowingv from thetank, thefioatis descending and convtinuesj until.y the purchased' quantity is 'discharged.

`"Ing the modiiiedA formy of the .invention V'shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, 10and 11, a duplex arrangement of vending inachinesis used for V-vending two ldifferent grades of oilfrom the -oil reservoirs 51 and cabinet 1;.

52 enclosed within the Eachof the oil` reservoirs is equippedfwith a pump-53 located on top of the reservoir, and

yabove t-hepumpsl are disposed the oil tanks 54 and 55.` `The pumps 53 are selectivelyoperated to liftth'e desired quantityof oil from -either reservoir 51 or 52 `depending on the grade of oil desired. The motor 8 gearing 9 iand transmission mech anism k1() are designed torevolve a clutch shaft 561thatextends "across in frontof the machines and is joury naledf in suitablebearingson brackets 56.

Two clutches 57 and v53 are slidable on the clutch Vshaft-,andeach clutch is provided with a driving pinion59 to mesh with a pump gear 60 on thepumpshaft 61.

In Figure 6 a'Y clutch-shifting. lever 62 is pivoted at 63, exterior of the casing, and this lever is shifted for thevpurpose of engaginga selected clutch device for starting the desired f pump 53.l i M The pump lifts the oil from the reservoir through an inlet pipe 64 to the bottom ofthe oil tank, and the oil iiows out at the` bottom of the tank through the'discharge-pipe 65 to a faucet 66 exterior of the casing,vand into a waiting oil can 67 The faucet is provided with an operating lhandle 68, each khandle having a cable 69 and 70, either one of which will release the latch for the chute carrier 71 when the machine is manipulated as describe for the gasolinek vending machine.

V,The coins are also deposited in the same manner as described for the gasoline vending machine, and close the circuit at 41, but the and 7 3 and main cable 74 from the top of the iioat, instead `offrom the bottom as in the vending machine for gasoline. In Figure 11 it will be seen that the float 75 is provided with a stem 76 projecting upwardly from its top and passing through fan opening at the top of the oiltank.l K'Ihebranch cable 72 is vso y les V ejector isoperated through branch cables 72k connected at 77 to the stem, and the guide Y pulleys 32 are arranged to conform to this Y change in the movement of the cable so that the loop performs the same function as is the case with the `chute carrier 18 in Figure l.

A plurality of chutes and coin slots are used for the vending of idierent quantities of oil, and the closing and opening of the motor circuit is accomplished in the same manner as in the gasoline vending machine. j

I-Iavlng thus fully described my invention, v what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a vending machine for liquids, the combination with a coin-controlled circuit maker for a motor circuit Comprising a pair ot spaced conductor plates, having hinged` guide plates supported thereon, of an ejector adapted to reciprocate between the guide plates, and iioat controlled means for operating the ejector to remove a lcoin from the circuit maker. f

2. In a vendingmachine for liquids, th combination with a' coin-'controlled circuit maker for a motor circuit comprising a pair 'of spaced conductorplates having hinged,

converging guide plates to receive a coin, of a pivoted coin-ejector adapted to reciprocate between the plates, a float, and a cable connecting the iioat and ejector.

3. In a vending machine for liquids having a plurality of coin-slots, .the combination with a float, of a vertically movable carrier and height regulating connections between theA iioat and carrier, a plurality of coin chutes mounted'on the carrier and opening therethrough, and a coin controlled circuit maker adapted to receive a coin from the chute.

4. In a vending machine having'a plurality of'coin slots, the combination of a coin controlled circuit maker, a vertically vmovable carrier and operating meansftherefor, a plu'- rality of spaced chutes mounted on the carrier for co-action with the slots, grooved guides for the carrier, guide pins on the carrier, a ioat, and height regulating connections between the float and carrier.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

LEWISv R. SWANK. 

